After dinner one particular night, everyone headed toward the Batcave to gear up for patrol. The familiar routine of suiting up usually helped Jason clear his mind, but tonight, his unease followed him like a shadow. He had the nagging feeling his family knew about his secret meetings. They had a way of butting into his business but he truly hoped that wasn't the case. Before suiting up, Jason noticed Dick and Barbara talking. While they kept their voices low, he could tell it was something they were serious about. He wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but their conversation caught his attention.

"Im just not sure it's a good idea to just let him meet Willis like that." Barbara's voice was soft but filled with concern.

"He's not a kid anymore, Babs," Dick replied, though there was tension in his voice too. "But I still don't like it. We all know what Willis put him through. If something goes wrong…"

They did know. Now they were talking about him behind his back. He clenched his fists, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Before he could stop himself, he stepped forward, glaring at both of them.

"So, how long have you been spying on me?"

Dick and Barbara's heads snapped toward him, their conversation cut short. Dick took a step forward, holding his hands up in a calming gesture.

"Jay, it's not like that," Dick said quickly. "We're just worried about you."

Jason's jaw tightened. "Worried about me? You mean, worried that I'm gonna make a mistake and let Willis screw me over again?"

Barbara stood, her eyes full of empathy. "We just don't want you to get hurt, Jason. Willis wasn't a safe person to be around when you were a kid, and we're concerned he hasn't changed."

Jason's eyes flicked between them, his chest tight with frustration. "I can handle myself. I've been handling myself for a long time now. I don't need you—or anyone—trying to protect me from my own choices."

Dick stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "We're not trying to control you, Jason. We know you can take care of yourself. But Willis… he's dangerous, and we just don't want to see you get pulled into something that'll hurt you. Not again."

Jason's anger wavered slightly, but he wasn't ready to let it go. "I get it, okay? But I didn't ask for you to get involved. I didn't ask for your concern."

"We're just looking out for you, little wing." Dick said but Jason glared at his older brother. "None of you really trust me. That's it, isn't it."

Dick shook his head. "That's not true."

Jason ran a hand through his hair, exhaling slowly. "I don't trust him either, okay? I'm not stupid. But I needed to see for myself if he's changed. I'm not just gonna let him walk back into my life without watching my back."

Dick nodded, his face softening. "We know you're not stupid, Jason. We just… We just don't want you to feel like you're alone in this."

Barbara added, "We're here for you. We always will be. Just don't shut us out."

Jason looked at them both, his defenses still up but softening. He didn't want to admit it, but part of him was relieved that they knew. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have someone watching his back, even if he didn't want to admit it out loud.

"Fine," Jason muttered. "But this doesn't mean I'm asking for help. I can handle it."

"We're not offering help," Dick said with a smirk. "Just backup. If you need it."

Jason shot him a look but didn't argue. He turned to leave, ready to suit up for patrol, but paused. "Thanks… I guess."

Dick and Barbara exchanged a glance, a small smile tugging at their lips. "Anytime, Jay," Barbara said gently.

As Jason headed toward the Batcave, his mind still swirling with thoughts of Willis, Bruce, and the rest of the family, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort knowing they were there, even if he didn't want to admit he needed them.

——-

The cold Gotham night clung to Jason as he ran across the rooftops, trying to focus on his patrol. But something felt off, gnawing at the edges of his concentration. He had felt it for the past hour—the sensation of eyes on him, like someone was keeping tabs. And not just anyone.

Jason had caught glimpses of him, lurking in the shadows, tracking his movements. Subtle enough that no civilian would notice, but Jason knew better. Bruce was watching him closely tonight—too closely. It didn't stop there. On more than one occasion, he spotted Tim conveniently stationed in the same part of the city. Coincidence? Not a chance. Jason felt the frustration bubbling up inside him. He could take care of himself, and the last thing he needed was a babysitter. Or two.

He ducked into an alleyway, leaning against the brick wall, pulling out his comm. "You can stop following me anytime now," Jason muttered under his breath.

There was silence for a moment, then the familiar low growl of Bruce's voice came through the comm. "No one is following you."

Jason scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure and Red Robin just happened to be patrolling the same block as me for the last hour."

A sigh on the other end. "Red Robin is covering the east side of the city tonight. It's just a coincidence."

"Right," Jason replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You expect me to believe that?"

The comm went silent, and Jason clenched his fist, the frustration reaching a boiling point. He didn't need this. Not tonight. Not when everything with Willis was already weighing on him. He shut off the comm and took off toward a different part of the city, hoping to lose whatever invisible leash Bruce had on him. But the thought of Bruce hovering over him like some overprotective shadow stuck with him, festering.

Hours later, back at the Batcave, Jason stormed in, his fists clenched at his sides. Bruce was there, as expected, standing by the Batcomputer, reviewing the night's patrol reports.

"We need to talk," Jason growled, not bothering to hide his anger.

Bruce turned, his face unreadable as usual. "I figured you'd come."

"Stop. Following. Me," Jason said, his voice low and dangerous. "I can handle myself out there."

"I wasn't following you," Bruce said calmly, but Jason could see the tension in his shoulders.

"Bullshit," Jason snapped, stepping forward. "You've had eyes on me all night. Tim's been in my way. It's not hard to figure out what's going on. You don't trust me. You think I can't make my own decisions."

Bruce's expression darkened, his tone shifting. "It's not about trust, Jason. It's about keeping you safe."

"I don't need you to keep me safe!" Jason shot back, the anger flaring in his chest. "I'm not a kid anymore. I've been doing this a long time—without you holding my hand."

Bruce's voice lowered, but there was an intensity in his words that made Jason pause. "I can't lose you again, Jason."

The words hung in the air like a punch to the gut. Jason opened his mouth to retort, but for a moment, he couldn't find the words. The weight of what Bruce had said hit him, but it only stoked the fire inside.

"This isn't about losing me," Jason growled. "This is about you not trusting me. You still think I'm gonna make the wrong call. That I'm gonna end up dead again, and you can't stand the thought of it."

Bruce's gaze hardened. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?" Jason barked. "You've never trusted me. Not when I was Robin, and definitely not now. You think I don't know what I'm doing. You're so scared I'm gonna screw up again that you're smothering me." Jason stared at Bruce, his anger still simmering beneath the surface, but something else—something more complicated—began to stir. But he pushed it down, unwilling to let it take hold.

"Willis' old bosses know he's here by now. They won't stop until he's dead. If you're in the middle of it, that means both of you." Bruce said, not that he gave a damn about what happened to Willis.

"Yeah, well I can't keep being the one you hover over every time I do something you don't agree with. I know I'm a screw up but this is my choice and my fight. I don't need any one of you butting in. This is my life and I'll make all the mistakes I what. Even if it gets me killed. It's not like it would be the first time my mistakes got me killed."

Without waiting for Bruce's response, Jason turned on his heel and stormed out of the Batcave. He couldn't stay there, not after that conversation. Not when every fiber of his being was still buzzing with anger.

——

Later that night, Jason found himself back in the seedy part of Gotham, where shadows hid secrets in every corner. He had called Willis, told him to meet him at a familiar spot near Crime Alley. His father arrived not long after, looking anxious but determined.

"What's this about?" Willis asked cautiously.

Jason crossed his arms, eyeing his father carefully. This was it—the moment he would see just how much Willis had really changed. He couldn't afford to trust the man without proof. Not after everything.

"I need you to do something for me," Jason said, his voice steady but firm. "An errand. Nothing illegal."

Willis looked at him, confused but nodding slowly. "What kind of errand?"

Jason leaned in, his expression hardening. "I need you to deliver something for me. A package to a safe house across the city. I'll tell you where it is, but you'll need to do it alone. No asking questions. No screwing around. You get it there, and I'll know you're serious about this… about making things right."

Willis hesitated, his brow furrowing. "What's in the package?"

Jason's eyes darkened. "You don't need to know. Just do it."

For a moment, Willis looked like he might protest, but then he sighed, nodding. "Alright. I'll do it. No questions."

Jason watched him closely, his heart pounding as he handed over a small, sealed package. He didn't trust easily—especially not when it came to Willis Todd. But if his father really wanted a second chance, this would be the first test.

Willis took the package, glancing up at Jason with something like determination in his eyes. "I won't let you down."

Jason said nothing, watching as his father disappeared into the night, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. It wasn't just Willis being tested tonight—it was his own ability to trust anyone from his past.